The Phoenix Rises
by Ang1
Summary: Post X2: The shadow coalesced, and now the Rogue must help the Phoenix find her way. Will she lose herself in the process? Mild RL Scott'Jean' T is for safety may change once I review the language
1. An Errand to Run

There was a shadow on the water when I looked back. I know, I know, I was supposed to be flying the plane. But it was Dr. Grey. I had to take one last look. And that's when I saw the shadow.

_I never mentioned it to anyone. I didn't think it was my place. I'm sure the professor knows I saw it, but I didn't think it was my place to see it._

There was a shadow on the water, and just before I looked away it started to boil.

I look at the picture on the memorial the professor had erected for Dr. Grey in the hall. Closing my eyes I can almost feel her. Not quite, but almost. Her passion, her fire. Her powers that were growing every day.

**_Come to my office._** The professor's voice sounds in my head.

I turn away from the photo, and walk through the mansion, expecting to meet up with my fellow X-men as I walk, but none join me. I step into his office and take my seat across from him. "Yes professor?" I ask.

"You're right. I saw it with you." He tells me.

"Did the others?"

"No. I don't suppose you've gathered it's meaning?"

"Not really."

"She's not dead anymore." He whispers.

My eyes widen. "How?"

"For as long as I knew her, I watched Jean Grey's powers grow stronger and stronger. I feared they would one day burn through her very being. Ten months ago today, my fears were confirmed.

"But through your eyes I saw an altogether different possibility. I saw the shadow of a bird on the water, with the core bubbling, building.

"I've kept a close watch on Alkali Lake ever since, and this morning, the shadow coalesced."

"I don't understand."

"She's alive Rogue. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but she's alive."

"Why are you telling me?"

"You already suspected. I need you to go get her."

"Why me?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but of all the X-men, you had the least personal contact with Jean. Most of your interactions were a bit more formal. Add to this the strengths you gained after the fight with Carol Danvers, I believe you are the best person to bring her home."

I look at him carefully. "What aren't you telling me Professor?"

"Most of her memory is either gone or coming in spurts. She can't control her powers. She's hidden herself in the forest."

"You're sending me because of what happened after Carol, aren't you?"

"Rogue –

"Professor, I can barely get through a full day without her surfacing at least once. She's there, I accept that, but I'm not ready to help someone else deal with a hidden personality."

"You're the only one who can."

I close my eyes, knowing he's right. "Where is she?"

"In the forest on the shore of the lake."

"When do I leave?"

"As soon as possible."

I enter my room and pack a small bag. The professor is arranging for food and water to be put in the trunk of the car I'm taking with me. I close my eyes as I feel him at the door. _Should've closed it._ I think, chastising myself for thinking I could get away before he figured out something was up. "What do you want Logan?"

He moves into the room and stands on the other side of the bed on which I'm packing. "Why you runnin' again? I thought you were doin' better with Carol."

"I am. I just have an errand to run for the professor."

"That involves packin' enough clothes to last a month?" he indicates the adaptable wardrobe I've assembled.

"Yeah."

"Give me five minutes. I'm comin'."

"You can't."

"Wheels swore he wouldn't send you out alone on a mission until you had her under wraps darlin'."

"Don't do this Logan."

"You swore you wouldn't accept any until then."

"This isn't a mission. It's an errand." _That could get me killed by one of our friends._

"You're lyin'."

I close my eyes and stare at my now packed bag.

"What're you runnin' from Marie?"

I open my eyes and look at him again, zipping the bag. "I'm sorry Logan. I know I promised to talk to you whenever something came up, whenever I was struggling with her, but I can't this time. This time…" I trail off.

"Is it me?"

I feel the tears build up in my eyes as I think back to the night before, remembering the feel of his lips on mine as we finally admitted to wanting one another. "God no. Logan, you're oxygen to me. I have to do this. I have to go."

_**The car is ready. I'll talk to the Wolverine once you're gone.**_

_Thank you professor._ "Logan, I'm sorry." I grab the bag and turn away from him and begin walking to the garage. I get to the car before he stops me.

"Are you coming back?" he asks, brushing the hair out of my eyes and cupping my face with his hand.

I nod. "As soon as I can. I know this is a bad time to leave, but you know I wouldn't if it wasn't important." I lock eyes with him. "You can't follow me sugar. It's more important than anything that you don't follow me. The professor wants to talk to you about this. I don't know what he's going to tell you, or where he's going to say I'm going. I promise to be safe, and I promise that if I start to lose control of her I'll have the professor send you."

He leans down and kisses me softly, then turns and walks out of the garage. I blink away the tears, and climb into the little Ferrari and drive off.


	2. A Change in the Land

It's ten days later when I arrive at Alkali. I park the car, climb out, and engage the security systems, the tiny cameras in the body effectively masking its presence. I levitate myself above the trees and look for signs of life in the surrounding area, and notice a small campfire approximately ½ a mile out. _Here goes nothing._ I shake my head and lower myself a bit, flitting in and around the branches to the area. I settle myself in a tree not far from the small fire and watch.

_The Phoenix has a routine. I've taken to calling her that because I'm sure that if I think of her as Dr. Grey, I'll burst into her little world and scare her to the point where she might just attack me._

_She wakes each day to hunt. She's really very good at it, has gotten better at controlling the animal's actions with her mind. She freezes whatever happens by her where she hides, then approaches slowly. I don't know how she manages it, but I'm pretty sure she constricts its heart to kill it. She bleeds it, and then returns to her fire to cook it._

_She stretches after this, and goes to the lake to swim for a few hours. When she returns, she mutters softly to herself. It's possible that swimming reminds her of surfacing from the lake. _

_She eats a small meal, and resumes her conversations with herself. I'm not sure what she's fighting, but it scares her into cutting her arms with the small stone knife she created for herself._

_I want so badly to stop her but I know that if I startle her, she'll kill me, and then what?_

I've been watching her for two weeks now, and I'm nearly ready to introduce myself into her sphere. I learned a lot from Logan about predators. I need to establish myself in her area and let her come to me.

God, I really hope this works.

The woman rises one morning and feels a change in the land. Looking around, she sees the embers of another fire not far away from her home. Carefully, she approaches it, and sees another like herself sitting near the embers, stirring up a fire to cook the small animal dead next to her.

This one puzzles her, it's not like the other animals. It's like her. It's long brown fur has streaks of white in it that seem so familiar, and yet so foreign.

She tilts her head and observes as the other one places the animal over the fire. Blinking, she smiles and the idea.

The other one has constructed a small tower on each side of the fire, and a stick holds the animal above to keep the fire from hurting her hands.

She backs away quietly, and returns to her own fire to do the same.

"Why isn't she back yet Charles?" Logan growls at the man behind the large mahogany desk nearly three weeks after Rogue's departure from the mansion.

"I told you not to ask me that anymore Wolverine." Charles says carefully.

"And I told you to stuff yourself. Where's Marie?"

"Wolverine…" Charles trails off. "I don't actually know." He admits.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I know where I sent her, and I know why. I also gave her strict orders not to communicate with me except in an emergency. The person she's retrieving has a degree of psychic ability, and would likely be able to detect any communication between Rogue and myself."

"And just who is this mysterious person?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Try me." Logan stares at the older man. "Chuck, I've been patient for three god-damned weeks. You promised me that you wouldn't send her out until she figured out this Carol shit. You know as well as I do that she barely had a handle on her when she left. What if she lost the control?"

"There's no reason to believe that will happen Wolverine. This trip simply requires caution. She must proceed slowly so as not to alarm her target."

"Chuck, you've got about thirty seconds to tell me where Marie is before I trash your office, leave, and track her myself."

"Alkali Lake." Charles says softly.

Logan stares at him. "You sent her **where**?"

"The forest on the southern shore of Alkali Lake. That is where I sent her. I have no way of determining her current location without endangering her Logan, and if you go after her, it could be more harmful than you can possibly imagine. She's tracking a Phoenix, and the fact of the matter is that I sent her because she's the only one who won't push this person too quickly."

"A what?"

"A phoenix Logan. Rogue is tracking a phoenix. She has explicit instructions to contact me in a true emergency, but this phoenix cannot be rushed, and I've found in the past year that one of Rogue's gifts is an infinite patience. She has taken her time learning to control Carol Danvers. She has never seen a loss of that control as a setback, but always as a learning experience. And she witnessed the burning of this phoenix. She was the only one who did. Not even I picked up on it. That is why I had to send her. Let her do this Logan. She's the only one who can."

"What the hell is a phoenix?"

"A mythological creature." Scott's rough voice says from the doorway. "What the hell is going on in here?" he looks between the two men.

"Discussing Rogue's fully re-instated status to the X-team." Charles says quickly.

"You never said anything about that!" the Wolverine stands, glowering at the psychic.

"Sit down Logan. This is not the time for theatrics."

Logan's eyes flame as he is forced back into his chair. "You will both stop this immediately. Leave Rogue alone. If she needs us, she'll contact us. If I find out that either of you has been trying to locate or contact her, I will personally keep you unconscious for the duration of her mission."

"What does this have to do with me?" Scott asks carefully.

"Stay out of it. Both of you."


	3. Coercing the Children

I'm relaxing in the sun when she approaches me hesitantly a week after I set up my camp.

"What are you?" she asks haltingly.

"Rogue." I respond carefully, watching her face for a reaction.

It happens as a head tilt. "What is a Rogue?"

"It's a name. It's what others like us call me."

"What are we?"

"People. Humans."

She nods. "Do I have a name?"

"I don't know." I say sadly, regretting my lie instantly. "Would you like one?"

"I think I would."

"Your hair is very pretty, red like fire." I tell her.

"Hair?"

I finger my own brown and white locks, then indicate her long red ones. "Hair."

"It's not fur?"

I smile. "Most humans don't have fur. Some do, but for the most part, we don't."

"Oh. I wondered about that. What should my name be?"

"Would you like to be Phoenix?"

"What does it mean?"

"Reborn. My name is a lonely one, I thought you might like one a bit more welcoming."

"Thank you." She moves to hug me, and I pull back carefully. "What's wrong?"

"It's my skin. I don't have my gloves on right now, and you need to be careful not to touch my skin."

"I don't understand."

"Not all humans are the same. I mentioned that some have fur. My friend Beast is one of those. I've noticed when I happen to see you at the lake that you can make things move without touching them. My skin hurts people if I'm not really careful. I can also fly, and I'm very strong."

"Fly?" she tilts her head. "But you don't have wings."

"No, I don't. It's like I said. Not all humans are the same. Some, like us, are called mutants. Our cells have changed faster than most, and that makes it so that we can do things other people can't."

"How do you know this much?"

"I went to a special school for mutants. They explained it to us."

She sits near me. "I wish I had gone to a school like that. It would explain why I can't remember."

"Remember what?"

"Anything. I get flashes. Bits of images. Some of them scare me, like I might have been a bad human before I lost my memory."

"If you ever want to talk about them, I would listen."

"Thank you." She looks at me. "Why do you live in the forest?"

I close my eyes. "I lost a friend here a while back. She died helping me, saving my life and the lives of most of my friends. I missed her, so I decided to come and visit her for a while."

"I'm sorry. What was she like?"

I gaze at her, and then turn to look at the lake. "She was the bravest woman I knew. Strong, intelligent. I looked up to her. I was also a bit jealous of her, because the man I was in love with wanted her. She wanted him too actually, not so much because she loved him, but because he was new, and different. Even with all of that, I admired her. She was the closest thing I ever had to an older sister. I missed her terribly."

"Do you still miss her?"

"I'll always miss her, that's why I came here, but, after a while, I realized that she would always be with me. Her lessons, her example, I'll never forget them."

She shakes her head. "Logan."

I look at her sharply. "What?"

"The man who wanted her. His name was Logan."

"How did you know that?"

"I don't know. I heard it. He's tall, and his hair is kind of messy. He wears jeans."

I smile. "All the time. You can't get Logan to dress up for anything."

"He kissed her."

My eyebrows raise. "He what?"

"He kissed her, not long before she died. She told him that she would…" she cuts herself off. "Who's Scott?"

"Scott is my teacher." I say carefully.

"NO!" she shouts angrily. "WHO IS SCOTT TO ME? Why can't I stop picturing his face? What do you know about me?" she jumps at me.

I grab her sleeved arms and pin her to the sand. "Calm down." I tell her.

She writhes and fights me. "What do you know about me?"

"More than I plan on telling you if you don't calm down!" I shout, holding just a bit tighter. I feel her mind push against my fingers, trying to force me to let go.

"I'm stronger than you sugar, and you'd better believe I'm meaner." I drawl. "If you don't stop strugglin' I'll stop you mahself."

She stops moving. "Who am I?"

I let go, and stand above her. "One step at a time sugar. First Ah'll tell you about me, and mah friends. If you haven't remembered yourself by the end of that, then Ah'll start in on you."

She lifts herself up and stares at me. "You have an accent." She smiles.

I shake my head. "It only comes out any more when Ah'm angry sugar. It's a defense mechanism to keep Carol under control."

"Who's Carol?"

"My…let's just call her my other personality for now."

"Will you at least tell me who Scott is?"

"Scott is…was…Jean Grey's fiancé."

"Jean Grey?"

"The woman who died here."

"And he wears red glasses?"

"Yes."

"Why do I keep seeing his face?"

"You were in love with him."

"I was in love with someone else's fiancé?"

"It's a bit more than that, but like I said, we're not starting with you sugar. We're starting with me."

Logan and Scott look at one another. "We shouldn't be doing this." Scott says carefully.

"Doing what?"

"Coercing Rogue's friends into doing our dirty work for us."

"You don't think they're just as worried as we are?"

"The Professor told us to leave it alone."

Logan stares at him. "Would you leave it alone if it were Jeannie?"

Scott lowers his head. "No."

"Then you understand."

"I never said I didn't understand Logan, I said that we were ordered to leave it alone."

"Exactly. WE were ordered. Wheels said nothing about them." He indicates the twenty-somethings approaching them.

"Somehow I think he meant that we were supposed to let it go, not encourage others to take up the cause."

"What cause?" Bobby asks, wrapping his arm around Kitty Pryde's shoulders.

"Rogue is on a mission."

Jubilee looks at Logan incredulously. "She told me she was going to visit family in Mississippi."

Remy nods. "Chère told Gambit the same."

"The professor sent her to find someone he calls the Phoenix at Alkali Lake." Logan explains.

Kitty's eyes go wide. "Did you say Phoenix?"

"Yes."

She looks at Scott. "You know about this Mr. Summers?" she asks carefully.

Scott shrugs. "Yes."

"And you're still here?"

"I was told to leave it alone. That my presence, and Logan's, might endanger Rogue's mission."

"Did you even think about where it was she is?" Bobby asks, looking at Kitty's wide eyes.

"I tried not to." Scott clips.

"Or what it was she was sent to get?" Kitty presses.

Jubilee, Iceman, Kitty Pryde, Gambit, Wolverine and Cyclops. Get in my office right now. 

The four young people lock gazes, and turn quickly to hurry back inside. Scott and Logan reluctantly follow.

The six enter the office and find Charles Xavier glaring at the two senior X-men. "I told you to drop it."

Logan glares back. "And I told you I wasn't going to."

Scott nods. "I can see where he's coming from professor. He's worried about Rogue. We both are. She's like a sister to me, and you let her go out on her own before she was ready."

"I didn't **let** her do anything. I asked her to retrieve a – Suit Up. The Brotherhood is moving in on Rogue's location." The founder of the X-men wheels out of the room and his stunned team follows silently, joined as they went by Ororo and Hank."


	4. Fly Away Phoenix

Rogue looks softly at the Phoenix. "I was gasping for breath, and he was lying next to me, cut, sliced, and bleeding. All because he didn't want to watch me die." She pauses. "He nearly died that night."

"Nearly?"

Rogue closes her eyes. "We had the best doctor in the world living at the mansion with us. She was also at the statue. She patched him up and let his body do the rest."

"This woman you keep mentioning, Jean Grey. She sounds perfect."

Rogue smiles. "No one is perfect Phoenix. Not even Dr. Grey. She was honest, trustworthy, and loyal. I trusted her."

"Tell me more about her."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She seems familiar. As though maybe I knew her…"

_**The team is coming your way Rogue. Be vigilant, Brotherhood members are closing in. Stay close to the Phoenix.**_

"What was that?" the Phoenix stands abruptly, looking at Rogue warily. "Who said that?"

Rogue stands next to her. "Hush. We don't have time for this right now. They're coming." She pulls the Phoenix's arm and guides them into the forest, speaking quietly. "You need very much to trust me right now. There are dangerous people tracking us, and I need to get us out of their range so that we can get to safety. A lot of things are about to happen very quickly, and you're going to have to go along with it. I'll try to field any questions. When my friends get here, keep your face out of sight." She hands the woman a cloak. "Better yet, try to blend into the background. No matter what anyone says, the only people you can trust are the ones who call you Phoenix. One of the people tracking us is a shape-shifter. Do not leave my side, and do not trust anyone. We only need to make it about a half mile before we get to my car."

"You have a car?"

"I swear to you that I will explain everything, as soon as we can get out of tracking range. If I fly us out of here now, the Brotherhood will follow us easily. We need to get to that car. More importantly, you need to keep out of sight."

"I'm her aren't I?"

"Who?"

"Jean Grey."

"We don't have time for this."

"Make time."

Rogue shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't. The time isn't there. We need to get moving. I swear that as soon as we're safe, I'll tell you everything, answer every question, but first, we need to be safe." She looks up as a dark jet coasts over to land on the beach. "Let's go."

She grabs the Phoenix by the arm and they set off, flitting in and out of the trees, sometimes gently flying between the branches of the trees, never above the treeline, and never below eight feet off the ground.

"MARIE!" a booming voice sounds through the trees. "I swear to god darlin', if you don't come down I'm going to start slicin' these poor trees to the ground so that your cover is gone."

"Dammit." Rogue whispers, hovering with the Phoenix in a pine tree. "I was hoping he wouldn't notice that."

"Who?"

"Later." Rogue tightens her hold on the woman, and flies as fast and as high as she dares, coming to a halt at the edge of the forest near the road, landing softly.

"Hello dear." A man's voice resounds softly from nearby.

Rogue's eyes close, and she feels the Phoenix stiffen. "What do you want Eric?"

"I want to talk to Carol. You're going to let me do that, right?"

The Phoenix stares at Rogue as her eyes begin to shift from blue to green. "Don't you dare." She mutters, grabbing the girl's arm and locking gazes with her.

Rogue's crystalline blue eyes meet Eric's as a wave of strength hits her from the Phoenix. "No Eric. I'm not. Go home." She pauses and looks in the other direction as the Wolverine bursts through the forest farther down.

"MARIE!"

She closes her eyes. "Identity: Rogue." She says calmly, and the silver Ferrari materializes. "I'm sorry Logan."

She opens the door, and the Phoenix climbs through to sit in the passenger seat as Rogue takes a seat behind the wheel. The Phoenix's eyes bulge as the rest of the X-men burst out behind Logan. "Scott." She whispers as Rogue peels away, turning to watch the team fade as they speed away.

"Marie!" the Wolverine shouts at the car speeding away.

"My, my, my. I've missed you Wolverine." Eric Lenscher's voice sounds from the other side of the highway.

Cyclops focuses a small beam on Magneto's hand and fires. "Go away Magneto." He says drily. "We don't have time for you right now. Storm, do it."

Storm's eyes glaze, and an icy fog descends abruptly on the area as the X-men retreat to their jet.

When they are in the air, Bobby is the first to speak. "Was that who I think it was?" he asks carefully.

Scott nods slowly. "Yes." He whispers.

"Oh." Bobby looks at the rest of the team, who bear similar expressions, save the Wolverine, seated in the corner growling.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for why he didn't tell us Scott." Ororo tries carefully.

"None that I can think of." The team leader mutters darkly.

Jubilee, Remy, Kitty and Bobby look at one another with apprehension, unsure of how to approach the senior members of the team. The re-emergence of Dr.Grey had separated the group.

**_Leave it alone. I'll explain why I didn't tell you when you get back._** The Professor's voice sounds in their heads.

**_Explain it now._** Scott's voice responds drily

The silence in the jet is their only response.

"Storm, follow Rogue's car." Scott orders, and she looks at him sharply.

"Scott, the professor –

"Take us to the mansion 'Ro." The Wolverine states calmly from the back of the plane.

"Logan, we have to find Jean." Scott says carefully.

"We won't."

"I need to find her Logan." Scott presses.

"Take us home Storm." Logan clips. "Trust me, you won't find Rogue."

"You can track her." Scott presses.

Logan strides to the front of the jet and looks down at their distraught leader. "No, I can't. I made a promise Scott, to her and to the professor, that I wouldn't interfere in whatever it is she's doing. Had I known about Jean, I probably wouldn't have, but I didn't know. Get your head on straight."

"Logan…" Scott meets the Wolverine's gaze full on. "It's Jean."

"Don't be to sure about that Scooter. Take us home Storm."

She nods, and the younger X-men bristle at the thought of Dr.Grey not being herself. _Who else could she be?_

"Tell me what's going on." The Phoenix demands as we speed away from Logan and Scott quickly.

"Not now." I clip as I punch the gas, hoping to escape Magneto's reach quickly.

"Yes, now. Who were those people? Why did I recognize them?"

"I told you I would answer your questions as soon as we were safe. We're not safe unless Eric can't catch us. Cyclops' blow will have delayed him nicely, but try to understand that I don't have time to concentrate on you. I need to keep Carol quiet. I need to keep you away from the Brotherhood, and she's trying to stop me."

The Phoenix stares at me. "Who's Carol?"

"Not now."

"Tell me what's going on!" she shouts.

I check our distance and smile a bit. _Almost._ I flick the camouflage and ease up on the gas to meet the adaptive cameras' speed. "Just let me get us out of range. Please, I promise I'll explain. I just…" I trail off and feel Carol struggle within me for control. Swallowing deeply. "Just don't distract me right now." _I need Logan._

"Who's Logan?" she asks carefully.

"What?"

"You said you need Logan. Who is he?"

"My rock." I whisper, not wanting to take the time to explain I hadn't really said it, but rather thought it. "My strength."

"Your lover."

I nod. "He's the best person I've ever met, the strongest too. Not just physically, but mentally. It's his strength that I use to keep her quiet. To keep her under control."

"Then why aren't you using it now?" she asks carefully.

"He's not here."

"You love him. That means he's a part of you and you're a part of him. Draw on that to help you."

Her words remind me of his so much that I realize she's seeing him in me. The Logan from so long ago on top of the Statue of Liberty that pushed me to live again. "How did you –

"I'm not sure." She pauses. I keep getting flashes. "You didn't always have streaks in your hair, did you?"

I shake my head.

"You're much younger than me, as well, right?"

"In a manner of speaking." I say carefully.

"Tell me now." She says, and as I flick my eyes to look at her I see a flash of fire in her eyes.

"I don't have time for this Phoenix. We're nearly out of range and Carol just won't shut up. If you don't stop asking me stupid questions that I already told you I'd answer when we're safe I'll shut you up myself." I snap.

"If I'm this Jean person that I think I am, you can't stop me."

"Try me Phoenix, just try me." I grip the steering wheel tighter and glance at instruments again. Nearly there.

"Tell me what I want to know, or I'll move this –

I reach out and grab her face roughly with my bare hand, never taking my eyes off the road, feeling the pull of power almost instantly. I hastily retract my hand and shake my head once more. "I warned you." I mutter darkly as I see a small motel with a gas pump up ahead.


	5. Re Identification: A Process

We enter the professor's office and Mr. Summers and Logan sit in the chairs before the desk, staring darkly ahead. I glance over at Kitty, Bobby and Remy and they nod in acknowledgement. They're scared too. Scared of what this means for the Xmen. Scared of what this will mean for us.

Professor Xavier enters from a side door, and he observes us all quietly. "You have a right to be angry." He says calmly.

"What the fuck is goin' on Chuck?" the Wolverine growls.

"I assume you all saw the Phoenix enter Rogue's car?"

"If you're talkin' about Jeannie, then yeah, we fucking saw her."

I glance at Mr. Summers, who's staring blankly at the wall. "What's going on Professor?" I ask softly. "Why didn't you say anything about this?"

"Because it wasn't safe. Please understand that any of you, had I sent you, would have simply gone in and retrieved her. You would have forced your own memories upon her, not allowing her to re-discover herself at her own pace."

"You're saying she has amnesia." I say quickly, trying to keep the yelling to a minimum from the two men glaring at the professor.

"It's a bit more complex than that."

"Professor, Jean is alive. She didn't die. You –

"That's where you're wrong Scott." The professor interjects. "She did, in fact die. Her mutation, as it turns out, is such that it overpowers her completely, burns through her very existence. It then rebuilds itself."

"She's a phoenix." Kitty murmurs softly from the corner.

"Precisely."

"So when she came back –

"She had no active memories of her life before she emerged from the lake."

"Why did you send Marie?" Logan growls.

"Because she would know what to do. She is the only member of this team who has had to actively deal with the personality of their mutation. The rest of you managed to integrate the characteristics your mutations present into your own personalities very neatly, primarily because they require you to be vigilant to the same extents whether you are on missions or simply walking the halls."

"Are you trying to tell me that because Rogue has another person in her head she can deal with my fiancé better than I can?" Scott asks incredulously.

I stare at him. "Another?" I ask carefully. "You mean like, just one?"

He looks at me. "What do you mean?"

My eyes widen, and I notice Storm, Remy, Bobby and Kitty looking at me the same way. I look at the professor. "They don't know?" I ask.

"Marie didn't think people needed to know about the rest. The only one causin' real problems was Carol. She figured the others would scare 'em."

I clamp my mouth shut and glance around the room. "Oops." I grimace.

**Go ahead Jubilee. Rogue will understand, and I can tell you right now that Logan won't be the one to bring it up again. Tell them.**

I glance at Logan, and he meets my eyes, nodding slowly. "Rogue doesn't just have Carol in her head." I say softly. "She has them all. Everyone she's drained, even a bit, since her mutation manifested itself."

Bobby's eyes widen. "All of them?" he chokes out.

"Even you." Logan clips.

"So you're telling me that Jean has more than one other person in her?" Scott asks.

"The Phoenix is simply that right now, the Phoenix. I don't really understand it, but as I was monitoring their escape from the brotherhood, she seemed to lose consciousness. She has not yet regained it, and I have been monitoring them as closely as I can without interfering. Your presence there – any of your presences – would interfere. She is not Jean, nor is she another person. She is re-identifying herself."

I wake more comfortably then I can ever remember waking. Taking in my surroundings, I am disturbed by the lack of greenery. This area is bland, without vitality. I see the small one who calls herself Rogue seated in a corner. _She took from me! How **dare** she take from me!_ She seems lost in a small world beyond my reach, speaking quietly and without cause.

"I warned her what I would do. I told her what would happen if she didn't talk to me. I told her not to mess with me. I cannot be –

She stops, and I notice her eyes changing again. They are no longer brown, but deep blue. "I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do it ever again, but I had to. She was trying to stop me from saving her. She wanted me to stop the car, I couldn't, not with Mag –

Her eyes quickly turn to a stormy green.

"Eric. Eric can help me. Eric will save me, protect me."

She crosses to the phone through the air, flying again. _How can she fly?_ I stop her movements with my mind.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

"Fuck off Jeannie. I don't need your little heroic gestures." She growls.

This is not the one who calls herself Rogue. This is the one within her who wishes me harm. I don't like this one.

"You're not the one who belongs in that body." I tell her softly.

"Let me call Eric Jeannie."

I look at her. "I don't think so. Why are you calling me that?"

"She didn't tell you?" the one in the Rogue's body laughs a bit. "You, darling, are the insufferable Dr. Jean Grey. Mutant Activist of the pacifist persuasion extraordinaire"

"I want to talk to the one named Rogue."

The eyes shift to brown again. "The one Rogue betrayed you Phoenix. She drained your power from you to make you pliant."

"This is true." I acknowledge. "I wish to find out why before I injure her."

The eyes soften, and become blue once more. "Phoenix?" she whispers.

"That is what you have called me, yes."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do. Magneto was so close –

Green eyes pulse. "Eric would have protected us!" she screams.

"I want to talk to the one Rogue!" I shout at the body before me, pushing all others within her to the back of the mind.

Blue eyes shine. "I don't think I can do this Phoenix." She sobs.

"You must. I have questions for you. Your answers are the most comprehensive. You will not let the others dominate you as they are." I release my hold on her and she lowers to the bed next to me.

"Tell me about Jean Grey."

"I already did."

"You told me she died at the lake. You lied."

"I didn't lie to you. I told you what happened through the eyes of her friends. Jean Grey died at Alkali Lake, saving us all. You have her body. You have many of her memories. I do not yet know if you are still her."

"How does one change a fact such as that?"

She looks at me. "You've just seen me flick back and forth between three different people like it was nothing. I absorb energies, personalities. When I killed Carol Danvers and took her into myself, I studied and meditated to gain control of her. Your resurfacing came, and I have to be honest with you. I don't completely have control of her yet, as you've seen. You're very powerful Phoenix. Very powerful. For the amount of time I touched you, it should have killed you. You've been out for three weeks. And every minute of it has been a struggle for me. Because I now have seven extra voices in my head. Some are mere shadows. David, and John, and Bobby. Their voices are weak, they don't try to control me. Eric's voice is irritating. He hardly ever spoke until I killed Carol. Now they plot against me. Logan's voice is reassuring. He keeps me strong, holds me up straight, makes sure I fight. He was my strongest ally. He thought I didn't have any secrets from him." She pauses. "Until I touched you." She says softly. "You're standing there like a queen Phoenix, and he can't see you as anything but Jean. But you're not. Not yet. You're stronger than her. More controlling. You're not a follower, because every day since you came out of the lake you've had to survive. You've had to learn how to do everything again. You're not the same person anymore. That's why I call you Phoenix. Because if I try to think of you as Dr. Grey, I'll forget that."

"You believe that my rebirth changed me." I state.

"I do." She says softly. "I know that my experiences with the others have changed me, hardened me. Forced me to define myself. That's what the lake did to you. It forced upon you the need to define yourself. To finally say – this is who I am. This is what I can do. You didn't hesitate. Not for an instant. And it's because of that that I think you've changed."

"So you do not think I am this Jean?"

"I think you're trying to figure out who you are. Trying to mix the knowledge you've gained as the Phoenix into the memories you have of Jean's life. You're trying to become the person you always were but weren't yet ready to admit was within you."

"As you've done with the Rogue and Marie."

She smiles. "Ah'm tryin' sugah, Ah'm tryin'."

"The accent again. That is the one Marie who is so well mingled with the Rogue in you."

"Ah grew up as Marie. Born and bred in Mississippi. When mah mutation manifested, ah was isolated, alone. A rogue in the world. The two have always gotten along, but it was a long tahme before ah realized that Marie was mah strength, not mah weakness. Ah use her when it's real important for me to be mahself."

"Then the others won't be coming back? You are going to speak with me?"

"Your little shove kicked'em where they needed it. They'll be quiet now. You should know though, that one of them was you."

"I figured as much. She understood me quite well."

"So, where d'ya wanna' start sugah?"


	6. Nine in One

He kicks solidly at the bag before him and sighs as it falls to the floor once again. I shake my head looking at him. "He won't let you back in the Danger Room either, will he?" I ask calmly.

"She's not ready for this Scott." He regards me.

"Logan, she can switch her mutation off and on at will, Carol hasn't made an appearance in months –

"A public appearance." He clips.

"What are you talking about?"

"Carol hasn't made a public appearance in months. She still surfaces at least twice a day."

I tilt my head. "Then why did you let her go?"

"She promised to call me if it got bad."

"Seems like she knew what she was getting into."

"Chuck still hasn't picked up sign of Jeannie." He continues.

I feel my gut clench. "What are you saying to me?"

"You know exactly what I'm sayin' to you OneEye." He growls. "I think Rogue took her. I can feel it in me. Somethin' is wrong."

"If something had happened the Professor would have told us."

"Would he? With as many people as she's totin' about Scooter, he can barely track her anymore. If Jeannie's out of it, he might not even notice 'cause she'd be along in Rogue's head anyways." His eyes meet mine. "Scott – if she's flittin' again – the professor probably wouldn't be able to find her anymore."

"I don't understand."

"He wouldn't know who to look for. This Phoenix he keeps talkin' about, Jeannie, Rogue, Carol. Hell, even one of the others could take control when she's like this."

"Just how many people does she have in her Logan?"

"Eight, last I knew. That's if you're countin' Marie and Rogue, and I always do. It'll be nine, maybe ten if she touched Jeannie. Depends on how well Jean and this Phoenix get along."

"The Professor said that Jean **_is_** the Phoenix."

"She is, same as I'm the Wolverine, and you're Cyclops. You're a little better acclimated to your other half then Rogue ever has been."

"Who's Marie?"

He grins. "Rogue is Marie. That's her name. Marie D'Ancanto." He pauses. "If you ever tell her I told you that, I'll slice your throat."

"So she has Marie, and Rogue, and Carol, and Magneto, and you, and apparently Bobby. Who else?"

"The kid who triggered her mutation, David. And when we were on our way to Alkali she drained Pyro; he was blowin' up cop cars."

"Why do you count some of them as one person, and others as two?"

"Depends on when she drains 'em. Whether or not they've come to terms with their other half. Far as Rogue herself, she's two because she needs them both. She needs to hold onto Marie in order to have some sense of her own identity. She doesn't much like Rogue."

I shake my head. "She **_is_** Rogue." I say calmly. "Why wouldn't she **_like_** Rogue?"

"Rogue likes the power. She is the power, really. She's the one who has all of the memories, experiences, feelings that all the others in her head have had. Marie is a twenty-one year old girl trying to learn about life on her own. Without the benefit of half a dozen men chattering at her incessantly."

I watch his face as it clouds over. "You really do love her, don't you?" I ask softly.

"Don't go advertisin' it just yet, but yeah. She brought me back from the edge. She needs me.


	7. Will It Always Be This Way?

It's a few weeks later when she finally asks. "Can we go to the school yet?"

I shrug. "Ah don't rightly know sugah. Do yah think you can handle the questions? Scott is likely to come forward right fast to find out if you're allright."

She nods. "I believe I am prepared to speak with them. I cannot say whether or not I can regain the relationships I once had with them, but I will not know until I encounter them. Parts of me love Scott Summers. Other parts have never met him. It is something we will have to explore."

"You know darlin', you took onto this faster than ah ever managed to."

"You are attempting to control within you people that don't belong, I am not. Jean Grey is a part of my past. After this cycle, I will be a part of the next Phoenix. It is a process I am not eager to repeat."

"You may not have a choice sugah." I remind her softly. "Ah can feel her. She's worried about the same things you are."

"How is your own struggle progressing?"

"Its easier when ah'm more connected to Marie. Ah explained that to yah. They all still shout, and whine, and want out, but Marie is better at shuttin' them up."

"Why do you not let her have control more often?"

I smile. "Marie is…she's young. She doesn't understand the control as well as Rogue does."

"Of the skin mutation?"

"That'd be the one sugah."

"You have never used the gifts the one Magneto provided you with."

"And ah hope to never have to." I admit. "The others; Ah chose to touch them all. Eric, he pushed himself upon me. Ah deal with Carol and her mutations because Ah was the one who took her so far into me."

"I have not seen you fight with her in the past days."

"Ah haven't been near you when Ah have. You have enough issues of your own sugah. You don't need mah shit too."

"We should return so that you can find comfort with Logan."

I smile at her. "Ah told you before Phoenix. If you're ready, we'll go. Mostly because Ah can't be trusted to drive if I'm switching to Rogue. She don't have near the influence on Carol and yourself that Marie does."

"Then we shall begin our journey now."

I nod, and close my eyes. _Professor._

_**Rogue? Is that you?**_

_It is. Why do you ask?_

_**We'll discuss it another time. Are you returning with the Phoenix?**_

_Ah am. Will you gather the others when we arrive? She'll have a few things to tell them._

_**Is this true Phoenix?**_

_It is. I will need in particular to speak with the one Scott Summers._

_**I'll make sure to tell him. How long do you expect you'll be traveling, Rogue?**_

_Phoenix will be doin' the drivin'. Should take us just under a day. Professor, would you tell Logan that Marie says hello?_

_**Are you certain? That could be presumptuous.**_

_He needs to know before Ah get there professor. Ah'm goin' to need him._

_**I'll be sure to speak with him. Safe journey.**_

"Why did he not realize it was you seeking him out?"

I smile tightly. "I'm one of the few people in the world that Charles can't track Phoenix. He can't lock onto my thoughts because he's never really sure who to look for, what combination of personalities is dominating me just behind the mask of the Rogue."

"You have begun to control the one Marie."

"I have." I lead her to the car. "Identity: Rogue." I say calmly, and cross to the passenger side of the car and climb in. When she takes her seat, I smile. "You'll have to tell it you're Dr. Grey. It's a smart car, and the professor hasn't had the chance to log you in as yourself yet."

She nods. "Identity: Jean Grey." She says, and her eyes go wide as the seat and mirrors re-adjust themselves to her personalized settings. "Impressive." She comments idly.

"I'll be meditating much of the way. If you need to get my attention, be sure not to touch my exposed skin, I can't control the mutation when I do this."

She nods, and pulls away from the small motel to take us back to Xavier's School for the Gifted.

The sun has long since set when we gather in the large briefing room well below the school. "What's going on professor?" Jubilee asks him carefully. "All the intel I've reviewed since the brotherhood attempt on Rogue indicates that they've gone into hiding."

He nods. "You are correct. I have gathered you tonight because Rogue has sent word that she and the Phoenix should be entering the grounds within the hour."

I stare at him. "Jean's coming home?" I ask thickly.

"The Phoenix will be making her first excursion to the school, yes. And she has asked to speak with you Scott, but do not make the mistake of treating her as though she is still entirely Jean. She has regained Jean's memories, but in the process of doing so, has embraced her full mutation. You must allow her to explain this to you."

I nod. "She's changed that much?"

"She no longer speaks as Jean Grey. She is the Phoenix. The reasons I have gathered you early are not related, however, to the Phoenix."

"How many times?" Logan asks gruffly, and I realize that he's speaking about instances of Carol surfacing in Rogue.

"As I understand it, Wolverine, the instances have been minimal to date. She asked me to tell you that Marie says hello." I see Logan nod as the professor pauses. "In regards to Rogue as a member of the team, please, all of you, be on your guard. Carol Danvers may attempt to interfere in her day-to-day life. More likely, however, I believe the appearance of the Phoenix will be more prominent, and I am of the impression Eric Lenscher has been causing her problems as well. She has been in a meditative state for most of her return journey, and hopes to have regained the level of control she boasted before her trip quickly."

"Does the Phoenix have access to Jean Grey's medical knowledge professor? She was working on a rather complex formula when I took over, and I've been hoping to hear her thoughts on the directions I took with it since we discovered her re-animated form." Hank asks.

The professor nods. "She might just consent to help you with that Beast."

"In fact, I will consent to help you with that." Her soft voice sounds from behind me and I turn. She's stunning. Her hair reaches her waist, and her form is more sculpted than before.

"Welcome, Phoenix."

She nods. "I am glad to be here." She glances around the room, examining each person, before meeting my gaze. "Hello Scott." She whispers.

I nod carefully. "Hi."

"Interesting choice. We will discuss it later." She says calmly. "I have asked you all to be her so that I could explain to you the most noticeable differences between myself and your Dr. Jean Grey."

I swallow, and follow her with my gaze to the front of the room. "I am not a different person entirely. There are many parts of me that remember each of you, but many again that have never met any of you. I do indeed have all of the memories of my former life, and the sentiments attached to those memories. I also have the memories of my current life, fire forged out of sacrifice. Please remember that not only might these parts of me may have conflicts with you, but you may also have conflicts with them. Just as I do not know you, you do not know me."

The professor nods. "Is that all you needed?"

"It is."

"Ah'm goin' to need a few minutes." Rogue comments from the shadows in the back of the room. I hadn't even noticed her presence. She glides to the front of the room, and I notice sharply that she's not walking.

"Marie." Logan growls. "You're flyin'."

She nods. "Ah'm well aware of that sugah."

"You're the one that told me to remind you when it happened."

"And Ah appreciate the heads up, but in reality, Ah'm not flyin' so much as floatin'." She stops at the front of the room. "Ah know the professor talked to y'all about me not havin' as much control over Carol as Ah did before Ah left for Alkali. He's right. Ah…Ah lost the control when Ah had to drain Phoenix here to get us away from Eric.

"Y'all were surprised when you found out Ah didn't just have Carol in me. 'Specially you Bobby. Ah'm sorry Ah didn't tell you." I watch her steady herself as she lowers slowly to the ground. "Ah'm not goin' to be around much for a while. Ah need to work through this. Ah got some good advice from Phoenix, and in listenin' to it, a lot of what some others have said started to make more sense. When Ah come back, Ah promise to answer all those questions flittin' around the room in your heads right now." She falters, and I watch Logan spring to his feet to catch her.

"Let's go darlin'." He says calmly, scooping her up and carrying her out of the room.

After they're gone, I turn to the professor. "How many people does she have in there?" I ask softly.

"Nine, by her count." Phoenix replies. "Though I have the memories of Jean Grey within me, I am but one person, the full realization of my mutation. Marie mentioned last week that I was 'Dr. Grey, unconflicted'. I believe this assessment to be true."

"We should all be going to bed." The professor cuts the conversation off, and nods to me as the others file out, leaving me alone with her.

"Unconflicted?" I ask carefully.

She smiles. "Much of me is still in love with you Scott. And you are still in love with the parts of me that are her. Now we must discover if the rest of me is compatible with that love."

I move closer to her and sit in the chair next to hers. "So you're saying, see where it leads us?"

She smiles. "Partially. You must know, that the parts of me that were drawn to the Wolverine in my previously were not drawn out of love. They were drawn out of a thirst for knowledge of the unknown. I no longer have that thirst. It is why though I will provide the new doctor with insight; I will not work with him. I desire to explore life now, not science. Will you experience life with me Scott Summers?"

I nod, and take her hand in mine. "I think I can do that Phoenix. I really think I can."

I curl closer into his body, inhaling his scent. "Ah'm scared Logan. What if Ah can't do this?"

I feel his lips brush the top of my head. "You can darlin'. We'll take it step by step, just like the last time."

"Am Ah going to have to do this every time? Lock mahself into a room and not leave for weeks, months even?"

He pulls me into him tightly, lowering onto the bed of the room we share. "I don't know darlin'. But whatever happens, we'll face it together."


	8. Forge Fire: Be There For Me

I curl closer into his body, inhaling his scent. "Ah'm scared Logan. What if Ah can't do this?"

I feel his lips brush the top of my head. "You can darlin'. We'll take it step by step, just like the last time."

"Am Ah going to have to do this every time? Lock mahself into a room and not leave for weeks, months even?"

He pulls me into him tightly, lowering me onto the bed of the room we share. "I don't know darlin'. But whatever happens, we'll face it together."

"Ah need you to do somthin' for me." I whisper softly.

"Name it."

"Ah need you to just be here this time. Just be here. Ah mentioned that Phoenix gave me some really good advice. It was to use the strength you gave me as an anchor. If we team up, we can probably get Bobby to help us, and then it'll be a four way assault on the others."

"You're talkin' the Bobby in your head, right?"

"The one who's still in love with me, yeah. Ah think ah can get him to help."

"Why won't Phoenix help?"

I smile softly. "When ah took her, she was rippin' mad at me sugah. She'd like nothin' better than to rip me to shreds. It's why ah had to do it."

"What about David?"

I shrug. "Ah could try, but ah don't know how much help he'd be, bein' human and all."

I meet his eyes. "Marie is human." He points out.

I stare at him. _Why didn't I think of it before?_ "Logan – ah could work on gettin' him to help me talk to Marie better!" He nods. "You'll be here."

"Long as you need darlin'. Chuck'll make sure we get fed."

I nod, and center myself on the bed as he moves to a chair. "I love you Logan."

"I love you to darlin'" I hear him softly as I drift into my mind.


	9. Forge Fire: Everything is about Control

I walk towards him calmly. "Hi David." I say softly, sitting down next to him.

"You're not going to hurt me again, are you?" he asks quickly.

"No. I was hoping to talk to you. What was it about me that you liked so much? You sort of keep it hidden."

He smiles. "I feel bad about it, 'cause it's changed."

I'm surprised. "What is it? I mean, it's not just that you're here. I realized earlier that I've never found out much about you. You seem to be able to hide things from me, the others can't."

He shrugs. "We think differently, I guess. I've noticed that they're all mutants. Different parts of them are here. The mean blonde chick keeps things from you too."

I nod. "Yeah, but when I took her, I took all of her, her entire soul."

He nods. "You sort of took a part of mine too, I think. I mean, I'm not complete. I don't really think about my family much. I'm too focused on you. I'm the part of me that wanted you."

I nod slowly. "So all of these others, the parts of them…

"Are the parts that were important to them at the moment you touched them."

I glance around at the assembled group. "I'm never going to be able to control them, am I?"

"It's not about control." Phoenix offers, coming up to me.

"What do you mean?"

She looks at me firmly. "It's not about control."

I feel Carol come up to me slowly. "Everything is about control." She hisses.

Her eyes flash open quickly, and she crouches on the bed. I take in the sight as calmly as I can.

"Hello Wolverine." She purrs. "You're looking especially scrumptious today."

"I want to talk to Rogue." I tell her calmly.

"I don't want to let you." she whispers, and then glances around the room. "I want to call Eric."

"There's no phone in here Carol. You know that."

She grins. "Then I'll just have to go somewhere else." She floats over to where I'm seated at the door and settles on my lap. "You're going to let me out now."

I lift an eyebrow. "No, I'm really not."

"Why do you insist on doing this every time?"

"Because I don't like you."

"Now, now Wolverine. That's not very nice."

"Let me talk to Marie."

She sneers. "Marie can't come to the door right now. Don't try back."

I cross my arms. "Darlin' I know you can hear me, and I know I promised I'd just sit here, but I really don't like her."

She snarls. "Stop talking to her like she's still there. She's not."

I laugh. "Now I know you're getting' worried, 'cause blondie, Marie is always there."

She shudders, and collapses. I quickly scoop her up, avoiding her skin, and place her back on the bed. "Logan?" she whispers.

"I'm right here darlin'. I'm not goin' anywhere."

She scrunches her face. "I need you to find Phoenix for me." I pull back to call for her. "No – not there. In me." She corrects me.

"I don't understand."

She smiles softly. "When we were at Alkali, and then again at the hotel, I started to realize that other people can sort of, I don't know, summon, even though that's not right, the others. Get their attention. Like how you always bring me back. I need you to ask Phoenix what she means by telling me it's not about control."

"Darlin', how can it not be about control?" I ask carefully.

She sighs. "I don't know! That's why I need to ask her, but every time I try, Carol and Eric push forward."

"Metal mouth is givin' you trouble?"

She nods. "Logan, if he gets control…I don't know if I can stop him. He terrifies me."

I sigh. "We need to bring someone else in on this." I tell her softly. "I can't fight him."

She shakes her head. "I can't. I can't let them see me like this."

I reach forward and cup her face through her hair. "Darlin', at least let me tell Chuck."

She collapses in my lap. "He can't help me anymore." She sobs. "There are too many. He didn't even recognize me when I called him from the car."

I grip her as tightly as I dare through her shirt and nod slowly. "We'll figure it out darlin'. I promise you, we'll get you straight again."


	10. Forge Fire: Old Friend

I glance around at them all. "What do you want from me? I won't let you have me!" I scream at them, and collapse sobbing when I notice David cringing away. I look at him sadly. "I'm so sorry." I whisper. "I just don't know what to do."

Phoenix sits in front of me. "I will help you discover the path." She offers calmly.

I feel the tears drip down my face. "What do I have to do?"

She smiles softly. "I cannot tell you Rogue. Just as you could not tell me my path, I cannot tell you yours. But I can help you understand."

I close my eyes. "I'm not strong enough."

"You're stronger than you think. You told me that to you, I was your Doctor Grey, unconflicted."

I nod. "You are. You've made peace with your mutation. But I can't make peace with it! I've hurt so many people. I've killed Phoenix."

She nods. "You have killed." She says calmly. "But you have also saved. As you have battled us these past weeks I have come to a realization. You did not take me to hurt me, but rather to save me from myself. Had I returned here too quickly, I would not have known what direction to take."

I meet her eyes. "I need to follow the path of my mutation." I realize suddenly. "I don't need to make peace with them, I need to make peace with what they are as part of me."

She nods, and I look at David, huddled in the corner again. I stand, and move to sit next to him. "Please go away." He whispers. "Every time you come over here they follow." He glances at Carol and Eric.

I smile. "This time they won't." I offer. "What was it about me that made you want to kiss me?"

He smiles. "You're sure you want to know?"

"Yes. I really am."

"Your hair. I mean, I could go on and on about the passion you showed for your trip, or your talents, or how smart you were, but in the end, it was your hair. None of the other girls in school had hair as soft as yours."

I smile. "Really? It was so plain though."

He shakes his head. "It wasn't plain. It was stunning. I suppose it still is, but you're not her anymore. You've got too many guys in your head, I think."

I giggle. "I'm still a girl though."

He nods. "An older girl. I'm still sixteen. I'm always going to be sixteen. Now you're like my older brother's hot friend."

I smile again, closing my eyes to think back, remembering David's brother Mike. "I miss Mike." I open my eyes to tell him, but look up to realize he's gone. I glance around the room, only to realize that he's part of me now. Truly part of me. "Thanks David." I whisper softly, and then focus on Logan.

Damn.

I don't think I can do this.

I open my eyes slowly to focus on Logan in the chair before me. "I can't do it." I tell him softly.

He looks up to meet my eyes. "Of course you can." He moves to sit next to me.

I tilt my head and reach out to play with his hair a bit. "No, you don't understand." I pause. "I know what I have to do. I can't do it Logan." I bury myself in his chest, feeling his arms wrap around me tightly.

"Do what darlin'?" he asks softly.

"Make peace with them. Accept them. I – I don't think I can do that. He hurt me."

"I'm gonna' be right here with you for it, right beside you. Hell, I'll be with you in there too."

I shake my head. "You touched me first." I whisper.

He closes his eyes, and strokes my back lightly. "You're strong enough to do this darlin'. I know you are." He whispers.

I shake my head. "No I'm not." I protest. "I'm not strong enough for this."

We both glance up at the sharp knock on the door. "What do you want Phoenix?" Logan growls.

"I must speak with the one Rogue." She says calmly, and Logan glances at me sharply.

I nod slowly. "I think I'll be okay." I offer. "I just need to focus."

He lets go, and moves to the door to open it. I look at her form, and she tilts her head. "You are worried about the one Eric Lenscher." She offers.

I nod slowly. "How did you know that?"

She smiles. "You are always worried about the one Eric Lenscher. All of your forms save the one Carol Danvers are worried about him. She is obsessed by him."

I pull my knees to my chest. "I can handle it." I whisper.

She nods. "I am aware of this. I am also aware that you are worried you may hurt the Wolverine in your transition."

I glance quickly at Logan, who looks surprised. "What transition?" he asks.

I bite my lip. "Everyone I have left is a mutant." I whisper. "I'll be taking on their mutations as active ones of my own, I think."

He cracks his neck slightly. "Including metal mouth's."

I nod. "And I don't know if I'll have the same level of control he does, at least until I get through Phoenix."

She nods. "I myself am adept at control in general. Focus. I believe that second only to her own personalities and that of Carol Danvers, I am the most complete image within her."

"You are." I admit softly. "But I can't do this without him."

"I will be here also, as you were with me." She moves into the room, and sits down. "I will promise you that no harm will come to your lover."

I feel Logan's gaze on me, and I meet his eyes. "She's a telepath Logan."

He growls. "Somehow I don't think that's how she found out darlin'."

I shrug. "That's not the point."

"If she knows, Scooter knows."

I sigh. "Grow up Wolverine. She's not as juvenile as you seem to think." I clip, pushing him away with a gaze."

"You are slipping." Phoenix says calmly. "Eric Lenscher, you will let me speak once more to the one Rogue."

I turn to face her. "Does the lovely doctor want to play then? Perhaps she's regretting her decision?" I flick my gaze back to the Wolverine, and pull him into the air.

"Marie!" he yells. "I want to talk to Marie!"

I pull out his knives. "Do you then?"

I glance briefly at Phoenix as she approaches. "I am sorry, it is necessary." She says, and I suddenly feel her hand on my face.


	11. Forge Fire: Flash of Green Eyes

I feel the fire rip past me as Eric starts screaming.

**_Let me speak to the one Marie._ **Her voice echoes across the small space.

"NO!" he shouts. "I will have control. She is mine!"

Shaking my head, I slowly step out of the small room. "Phoenix?" I ask, watching her flare.

_**You must take back control. If you do not, I will soon perish.**_

I peek outside of myself, and see the small group of people assembled. It's then that I feel her hand on my face. "Oh my god! Phoenix!"

I sit up quickly and move to the window. "Oh mah god. What did he do?" I whisper, seeing Mr. Summers bent over Phoenix's body.

Logan sits up from the floor slowly. "He played with me a little." He grunts. "We tried to get through, and when we couldn't, she reached out and touched you."

Phoenix coughs, and Mr. Summers pulls her into his arms. "I did not see any other feasible option. I called out to her in the only way she would respond."

I feel tears course down my cheeks. "You shouldn'a done that sugar. What if Ah hadn'a heard?"

"My methods ensured that you would. You have a large heart one Marie, and the one Rogue is too connected to the one Logan within you. She does not wish to join him to herself."

I feel Mr. Summers and Ms. Munroe stare at me. "What is she talking about Rogue?" Ms. Munroe asks softly.

Logan grunts. "That's not Rogue." He moves toward me, and I feel his hand on my hair. "You're okay now darlin'. You're right here with me and he's not going to get you."

"He's so angry Logan. He's so angry at her." I bury my face into his chest.

"We're going to need some answers here." Mr. Summers offers.

I glance up slowly. "Ah told you Ah'd answer all them questions when Ah was able to control it bettah. Ah can't now. Ah don't know how long Ah have."

"So long as she has her accent, she'll be okay for controlling them, keeping them at bay." Logan tells him. "But she's not the one with the answers, not really. The one who knows is Rogue."

"Ah'm not ready to talk to her." I whisper into his chest, and I feel his hand on my back through my shirt.

"She needs time." Logan tells them, and I look at Mr. Summers' face. He nods.

"We should go. 'Ro, can you help me with Phoenix?" Miss Munroe moves towards Phoenix, but she pushes them away.

"I must stay. If Eric Lenscher returns none of you are strong enough to stop him."

"Neither are you right now." Scott presses.

I shake my head. "Logan, they need to go." I whisper. "Let Storm stay, you and Scott can take Phoenix for now. She's steady enough to calm Eric, and her being here might throw him off."

He locks eyes with me. "Are you sure?"

"I'll call for you as soon as I'm not going to hurt you."

"Be careful darlin'." He whispers, and stands, pulling Scott and Phoenix after him.

I glance at Storm. "You have questions. I'll try to answer some of them, at least until I manage to get into a more calm state for my meditation."

"You have other…consciousnesses within you?"

"Eight in all. I talked to David, he…we made peace. I always thought he was mad at me."

"Who's David?"

I move to the bed and settle in the center. "The first. I was kissing him when my mutation was triggered." I pause. "At the end is when I'll most need Logan, I think. I'm going to have to make peace with Marie. Though, I suppose it'll be a bit more complicated with her."

"Isn't she you?"

"When I go back far enough, yes. But we've both grown a great deal. I have a lot of respect for her, but I think I scare her. Our strongest connection is Logan. He's…safe." I breathe deeply.

"Not many would characterize him as such." Storm whispers. "However, I think you're right. He has always been connected to you."

I nod. "I suppose he has." I bite my lip. "I need to tell you…once he's gone, I have to face Eric. My magnetism, it…

"I will be fine."

"I know. I just…there's a lot of metal around."

She nods. "You will also be fine."

"Thanks." I close my eyes, and turn to face Logan.

"Hey darlin'. You haven't been by in a while."

"I know."

"You seen that David kid around? He hides a lot, but usually stays close, knows I'll watch out for him."

I shrug. "He's around. Logan, why did you help me that night?"

He rubs his hand through his hair. "You didn't need to be mixed up in all that, I thought at the time."

"All that? Your nightmares?"

He nods. "That night was all you darlin', hurt like hell too. No, I was talkin' about the night on the tower, after."

I close my eyes, thinking back. "The X-men? You didn't want me to have to deal with joining the team?"

"You're right stubborn, aren't you?" he grunts.

I sigh. "I don't know what it is you want from me here Logan. I'm trying!"

He shakes his head. "No, you're not." He pulls me down, and into his arms. "You know as well as I do that you're not. You didn't deserve to be there that night. You're better than me."

"But I was the one he wanted."

"And I was too focused on myself to see that. Makin' them all focus on me."

I twist to meet his eyes. "You felt guilty."

He fingers the strands of white at my temples. "Always have. Nothin' was more important to me in that instant than bringin' you back, even if I died doin' it. It was my fault you ended up there."

I bite my lip. "It wasn't your fault. It was his. He did that to me, I've never blamed you. Ever."

"You sure?"

I close my eyes and nod, slowly. When I open them, I can feel his strength in my own arms, but he's not there.

"Well now, isn't that interesting?" a soft voice says from the corner of the room and I catch a flash of her green eyes.


	12. Forge Fire: Superficial Wounds

I'm watching the small girl in the center of the bed quietly, considering her responses to my questions. I have always known that hers is a difficult mutation. The power of simple touch is very strong. To be without that ability, such a basic need for all of us. I shudder slightly. It's then that I notice she's looking around.

"He's not here." She whispers. "Not here either." She grins, and I notice her eyes are green. "They left her alone!"

"We are not alone." I say carefully.

Her eyes meet mine. "Ororo Munroe. How quaint." She whispers.

_Professor. Carol Danvers is controlling Rogue._ I call out quickly.

Be careful, I'm sending in the Beast and the Wolverine. Catch her off balance if you can, to my knowledge she still finds Rogue's body awkward.

_Yes professor._ "I want to talk to Rogue." I attempt, even as she rises off the bed gracefully.

"Rogue's not he-ere." She chants mockingly. "She's hiding."

I stand quickly. "I want to talk to Rogue!" I shout. "Rogue, I know you're in there! You need to hurry. Logan is on his way."

Her eyes narrow. "That was stupid." She clips, flying at me. I duck, and she slams into the wall of the room.

"Marie!" Logan's voice sounds from the hall.

She launches into the air, and her head turns to face the door. "Marie's not here Wolverine! Go away!"

I clench my fists. "Don't make me do this to her!" I shout, feeling my powers surge, and building up the lightning.

The door crashes open, and she falters slightly when her eyes land on Logan. I watch her eyes flash from green to blue, and she falls to the floor with a crash. Instantly, Logan is by her side, along with Hank.

"She's all right Wolverine." Hank says calmly. "The wounds are superficial, Miss Danvers has a very strong – dear lord, she's healing." I look down at her and watch as the slice on her arm from the broken mirror finishes stitching itself together.

"Perhaps she was right in saying that as she begins to make peace with those inside of her she will acquire their active mutations."

"So long as she doesn't get claws."

"The Wolverine's claws are not natural Dr. McCoy." Phoenix offers from the door. She glances at me. "Forgive my intrusion. Your call to the professor was quite loud and panicked. I wanted to be certain I was not needed."

Rogue shifts softly on the ground, and groans. "Ugh." She mutters. "You should'ha told me how much that hurts Logan." She mutters, smiling up at him.

"You alright darlin'?" he asks. "'Ro called out to the professor that Carol found you out."

She nods. "She saw when I was talking to you. Used that moment of confusion to take over. You've been there for so long, it was odd not havin' you just, you know, there anymore."

"Whaddya mean?" he asks.

She hesitates, and glances at us all. "I'll explain later. But…if Phoenix is up to it, I'd really like to keep goin'. I have to face Eric next, and…I could use the reassurance that she's right there, just in case."

He lifts her carefully, and sits next to her on the bed. "Magneto or not, I'm not leavin' again."

She bites her lip, and glances around the room. "The door." She whispers, and looks at me. "Would you go and get the others? If he's gonna' insist on bein' here when I face Eric, I want to know there are enough people here to make sure I don't hurt him too bad."

I nod, and move to the door. As I pass through the arch, I pause, and turn back. "Bobby?" I ask.

"If he agrees, then sure." She says. "Let him know that its up to him."

I nod, and move out.


	13. Forge Fire: Butt Out Little Girl

I look around at those assembled. "I meditate," I tell them, "and within that state, the others…they surround me. Sometimes they get the better of me. Phoenix has encountered many of them, and Logan too. You've all encountered Carol to some degree or another." I glance at Bobby. "I pretty much avoid you, if it helps. I don't want to intrude." I pause. "I won't be able to do that anymore, and I'm going to know a few more things than I used to when I'm finally done this."

"Yeah, I figured." He mutters.

"I would never disclose any of it." I offer.

He nods. "Just…when you're better, can we talk?"

I nod. "Of course." I turn back to the others. "I have to make peace with Eric next. What he did to me, I mean. I don't really know how to explain it. He and Carol, they were the only ones that touched me with malicious intent. Others were angry when I touched them, or afraid, or guilty when they touched me. But Carol and Eric, they wanted to hurt me. Eric, in particular." I pause. "Years ago, I talked with Dr. Grey about it. She told me that the best characterization was that he violated my soul. His machine required massive amounts of power, and he quite literally forced it into me."

The Professor moves forward. "We are prepared." He says.

I nod, and glance at Logan. "Please be careful." I whisper. "I don't know how much of him will become a part of me once I do this."

He nods, and I close my eyes softly, under the watchful eyes of my teammates.

I move slowly towards them, deliberately. "Go away Carol." I say as calmly as I can to her. "You too John."

John laughs, and flicks his lighter. "Not so much, no."

I level my gaze at him. "Go."

He groans, and moves away, and I turn back to Carol. "I'm not going anywhere." She clips. "I'm loyal."

I cross my arms. "Suit yourself." I turn to Eric. "Why me?"

He smiles. "Because it needed to be done my dear. They'll never accept us."

"That doesn't mean we should just kill them."

"What are you talking about?" he asks. "I didn't do it to kill them dear, I did it to make them understand."

"You knew it killed."

"I knew there was a possibility that it might, yes."

"So why use me to do that? Your fight was not my problem!"

"Ah, but dear, of all of us, my fight is the most your problem. You would be the most feared of all mutants if the world knew about you. About your gift."

I press my hands to my temples. "You attacked me!" I shout.

"Perhaps, but it nearly worked, didn't it? If not for that pesky Wolverine it would have been foolproof."

I shake my head. "Why me? Why not do it yourself?"

He smiles. "Because…if I had done it myself, I would have died. Then who would have ruled the world?"

I stare at him. "It had nothing to do with me. It was just about the power."

"Dear, everything is about power in this world."

"I couldn't have stopped you, could I?"

He laughs. "Of course not! You had the Wolverine for protection of all people. The one person I can completely control."

I close my eyes. "Not anymore." I whisper, and turn away.

"What did you do?" Carol shrieks suddenly. "Where did he go?"

I turn to face her. "Away." I offer, tilting my head. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"You killed him!" she shrieks, and launches herself at me. I deftly move aside, and scrunch my face. "Stupid." I mutter. "Why did you join with me Carol? What is it you're hiding?"

She stands, and her eyes flash. "That's none of your business."

An image of a doctor flashes around her. "You were sick." I say sharply. "You were dying!"

"I told you to butt out little girl!" she advances.

"You just wanted to live, any way you could, and you thought I was too weak to resist, so why not just live in me?"

She crosses her arms. "Go away. This is my body!"

I feel Marie move up next to me. "No sugah, it's not. Its nevah been yours. Its mahne, and its Rogue's, but its not yours." I meet her eyes, and she nods. "Now you're gettin' it sugah. Ah had a feelin' you would eventually."

"You knew?"

"Had ya paid attention, you woulda known too."

I turn back to face Carol, and find that she's gone. "Where did she –

I turn back to Marie, and notice that she too, is gone. Slowly, I smile. "Ah guess she really was a part of me." I whisper. "More than Ah realized."

"I wish I had gotten to know her." Bobby's voice says softly.

I turn to him. "What do you mean?"

"You never really let me near her. I thought you did, but…she was always for Logan."

"You hated that, didn't you? Hated him?"

"I don't hate Logan. I hate what he represents. To me, here, he represents all the parts of you that I can't have. And me, here, very much wants to have you."

"Why? Ah mean, Ah know why David wanted me. Ah know why Logan loves me. But you, why would someone as nice as you want the one girl who couldn't touch you?"

He scratches his head nervously. "I had a girlfriend before I got to Xavier's. We…were really physical, but not much else. The thought of having something beyond that was pretty enticing, for a long time."

I laugh lightly. "You wanted _because_ you couldn't touch me? Bobby you had to know it wouldn't be enough."

He shrugs. "Yeah, but…I hoped, you know?"

"Oh Bobby." I shake my head. "You're always gonna' be mah first kiss that didn't nearly kill someone, you know that?"

He smiles. "Make sure you tell the real me that, he might like to hear it, you never know."

"So you all know what's goin' on?"

"We started to get it after Logan was gone. Phoenix explained a little."

I nod. "Thanks."

I turn to John. "I got nothing to apologize for, nothing to explain to you." he clips.

I nod. "I know." I pause. "I touched you, remember. And you'll always be the first person I ever had to touch to save others. You know I had to stop you. It's who I am."

He grunts. "Yeah, well. They were attacking us. They shot Wolverine."

I nod. "They did. But I knew he'd be okay. You…you were out of control John. You lost perspective and started hurtin' people."

"And you had to save the world. The little X-men wannabe."

"Ah never wanted to be on the team. Not at first. Ah just wanted to be able to wear a t-shirt again without people runnin'." I smile softly. "Until Carol, it wasn't in me to fight back. It was in me to protect, but not to fight. Ah never wanted to fight."

He sighs. "I'm starting to get that."

"Ah'm sorry John, and if Ah ever see you again, Ah'll be sure to tell you."

He nods. "That one's gonna' be harder." He nods at Phoenix, leaning against the wall. "She's still pretty pissed at you. She gets it, but she's pissed."

I turn to her as he fades into me. "You know Ah had to. You weren't ready."

"The advantage of telepathy is that I am in a constant state of flux within you. The others were taken at a single moment, with a single intent."

I nod. "So, why are you still here then? Why not just go?"

"Because though I have changed with my other self, you must understand that I will not continue to do so once we are done."

"Ah'm not gonna' be like you, am Ah? A phoenix? Ah just…Ah don't think Ah could take that, it would be just too much."

"You will gain my abilities, my telekinesis, my telepathic senses. I am not certain as to the other. It would be inconvenient for you if you did."

I nod. "Tell me about it." I mutter.

"You do not wish to have the power of telepathy, do you?"

I close my eyes briefly, and then look back at her. "No sugah, Ah don't."


	14. Forge Fire: So It Seems Miss D'Ancanto

I carefully finger her hair as she hovers a few centimeters off the bed, and glance around the room. Chuck cancelled classes so we could all stay, make sure she comes out all right. "Why is this taking so long? She said she knew what to do." I grumble, and notice Chuck meet Phoenix's eyes briefly. I look at him sharply. "What? It's been eight hours Chuck, I'm gettin' worried."

He sighs. "Rogue has a great deal to accept. As you know, she will be accepting many active mutations into herself. One such mutation will be Phoenix's rather strong telepathic abilities."

"There is also another possibility." Phoenix whispers. "I do not know when I will next be reborn, so I do not know how long this cycle will last. Depending on where I was in my cycle at the time she touched me, she may also be facing the possibility of accepting into her own self the phoenix mutation."

I stare at her. "She might be like you?"

She nods slowly. "The two possibilities are very difficult to make peace with. And I do not know how the phoenix mutation would react with her regenerative mutation. That which she has taken on will need to be explored. When she emerges, she will need to determine her newfound limits."

I feel Marie lower to the bed. "Ah most certainly will." She whispers, and I meet her eyes as she turns to me.

"Blue like sapphires." I tell her softly.

She smiles widely. "Ah'm glad sugah." She reaches out with a gloved hand and touches my face lightly, and suddenly scrunches her face. "Who didn't shower this mornin'? she asks sharply.

"That would be your friend Miss Jubilee. She usually showers at night." I offer, and girlie's glare at my back. "Keen sense of smell pint-size." I clip at her.

Marie winces. "Jubes, for a couple weeks, could you change that? Ah'm gonna need some tahme to get used to the smell thang."

"Sure."

She turns to Bobby. "We'll talk soon, Ah promise."

He nods as well. "Yeah, whenever."

Phoenix steps forward. "And you are now unconflicted?"

She smiles. "Confused, a little, but not conflicted. Ah'm just me."

I can see Chuck concentrating, and feel a grin creep onto my face when he smiles. "So it would seem Miss D'Ancanto."

She shrugs. "Rogue professor." She tells him. "Ah'm still Rogue." She turns to look around the room. "Would you all mind if Ah talked with Logan a while? Doc McCoy can do his tests in the mornin' as easy as today, and Ah'm awful tired."

They all offer their smiles, and move out slowly. The last to leave, Chuck stops in the doorway. "The carpenters won't arrive until tomorrow to fix your doors, I've taken the liberty of having another set of rooms prepared for you. It's good to have you back Rogue, you will be cleared for mission status upon evaluation in the danger room."

After he glides away, I turn to her. "He didn't tell us where the rooms are."

She smiles. "No Logan, he didn't tell **_you_**." she breathes deeply, and turns to face my, pulling off her gloves slowly. "Ah didn't want to do this in front of everyone just yet, but Ah do want you to know." She whispers, and reaches her hands up to my face.

I'm about to protest when her small hands contact my skin lightly and a few seconds later the pressure increases. "Marie?" I whisper.

"Phoenix showed me the switch before Ah took in her telepathy and telekinesis. Ah…Ah wanted you to know."

I pull her swiftly to me, burying my face in her neck, feeling her do the same. "I love you Marie." I whisper.

"Ah love you Logan, so much."


End file.
